20,000 BPL Rural Families of Rajasthan to get House-hold Toilets

Vedanta Hindustan Zinc join hands with Rajasthan Government under Total Sanitation Campaign

Under the “Mukhya Mantri Gramin BPL Awas Yojana”, Vedanta Hindustan Zinc has joined hands with the Rajasthan Government to construct house-hold toilets for 20,000 BPL families in Rajasthan. An MoU in this regard was signed between the company and the State Government.

This project of constructing toilets is being undertaken with an aim to provide clean and hygienic house-hold toilets to BPL families and discourage and eventually eradicate open defecation practices in the villages. The project is also expected to improve the good hygiene practices and create awareness towards Health & Sanitation.

Lack of Toilets in rural areas for women and girls have always been a matter of concern. Toilet in each house-hold gives dignified lives to the rural families and also provides comfort, convenience with a sense of security and safety to each member of the house, particularly women and the girls.

As per the UNICEF report only 48% of rural Indian population has access to good toilet and sanitation facilities. There is a direct link that exists between health & sanitation and human well-being. When about 50% of Indian population defecates in open it leads to improper disposal of the waste, sanitation issues and causes of many harmful diseases. In Rajasthan alone, 60% of population defecates in open.

Initially, these toilets will be constructed in 3 Panchayat Samities of Bhilwara and Chittorgarh districts and the project will be completed in 3 phases in 3 years time with an estimated cost of about Rs. 2.5 crore.

The project is also aligned with centrally sponsored, 'Total Sanitation Campaign', a comprehensive program to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas.

Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta group company in Zinc-Lead-Silver has in the past also undertaken construction of toilets in rural areas under its CSR project and has constructed nearly 1750 rural house-hold toilets in collaboration with DRDA-Total Sanitation Project.

The company is running a series of projects on education, health and nutrition in Rajasthan.

Vedanta-Hindustan Zinc Red Cross Bhavan inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot

The Vedanta - Hindustan Zinc Red Cross Bhawan, Udaipur built by Hindustan Zinc was inaugurated on 29th January, 2012 and formally handed over to Red Cross Society, District Udaipur by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot. The Bhawan is expected to be highly useful towards attending large number of patients visiting Red Cross, Udaipur.

While inaugurating the Bhawan, the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan praised the efforts being made by Hindustan Zinc to improve the socio-economic conditions of rural poor.

Shri Gehlot also praised Mr. Anil Agarwal – Chairman, Vedanta Group for his vision towards uplifting socio-economic conditions of rural poor, sustainable development in rural areas and his initiative towards being partners with Government of Rajasthan on socio-development initiatives.

The other dignitaries present from Hindustan Zinc were Shri H.K.Mehta Sr. VP(HR), Shri Ahmar Sultan, Head - CSR, and Shri K.K.Dave - Location Head Zawar Mines. Shri Raghuveer Singh Meena - MP from Udaipur, Shri Maangi Lal Garasia- Sports Minister, Dr. Arun Bodaria - Chairman Red Cross Society, were also present and acknowledged the work being done by Hindustan Zinc towards CSR.

Vedanta's Hindustan Zinc to Plant 100,000 Saplings in Rajasthan

Rampura Agucha Mine starts plantation of 70,000 saplings





The Sapling Plantation Drive Begins

 To celebrate World Environment Day, 5th June 2012, Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc has taken the initiative to plant 100,000 saplings at its business locations in Rajasthan. All the units of Hindustan Zinc will participate in this drive and Rampura Agucha, world’s largest zinc producing mine, alone has started plantation of 70,000 saplings from today. Hindustan Zinc already houses more than 12 lakh plantation, in and around its business locations.

The drive started with plantation of neem, seesam, ashoka and palm trees at Bhilwara District in Rajasthan. The District Collector, Mr. Onkar Singh while inaugurating the drive welcomed Hindustan Zinc’s initiative and efforts to plant and monitor 100,000 saplings. He named this as a unique initiative which will become a benchmark for other corporates to follow. In order to further strengthen the drive, the District Collector, Bhilwara offered to make available wasteland for the company to incorporate in their plantation drive and monitor the plantation.



Mr. Onkar Singh, District Collector, Bhilwara - Rajasthan

 Hindustan Zinc’s plantation drive aligns with the flagship project of the Rajasthan State Government’s “Green Rajasthan”, where in Chief Minister Rajasthan had asked all the people and corporates to plant trees at various locations.

The collector congratulated the company for this commendable initiative and requested the people to join this campaign to bring desired results. It is a matter of pride for all of us to have a world class mine in the district which has also positioned the name of Rajasthan on the world metal and mining map, he added.

Mr. Akhilesh Joshi, Chief Executive Officer of Hindustan Zinc also emphasized the need for collective responsibility while achieving such milestones. He said, that this plantation drive is being undertaken under extreme temperature i.e. 45 degrees just to ensure the world that ‘where there is a will, there is a way’. We would take extra care to ensure that these plants survive and develop to become healthy trees.



Mr. Akhilesh Joshi, CEO, Hindustan Zinc



On the offer made by the District Collector to plant saplings on the wasteland provided by the government, Mr. Joshi happily agreed and requested the District Collector to expedite the process and Hindustan Zinc is ready to not only plant the samplings but also maintain them.

Mr. Joshi also said that mining and agriculture sector are the essentials for the development and prosperity of any economy. Both are not only inter-related but also inter-dependent. You cannot run either without another. He said that the company believes in integrating sustainability in all the aspects of business.

On this occasion the District Forest Officer, Mr. L.N Ranawat emphasized on the need of ‘Green Economy’. While talking about the availability of land in Rajasthan for plantation purpose, he said, any State should have about 33% of forest cover but Rajasthan has a forest cover area of just 7%. To enhance the greenery in the state we should utilize all the available areas including that of wastelands, areas around roads and the area inside the housing facility and business locations. If we have scarcity of forest land we should approach non-forest land for creating green cover as being done by Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc. He said the company’s initiative should send a strong signal to all the corporates towards their concern for green environment in India.

Mr. Sunil Duggal, Executive Director of Hindustan Zinc believed in making a mining area worth visiting tourists. He emphasized that the people need to see mining with a different sight. Mr. Duggal informed that Hindustan Zinc is not just celebrating World Environment Day but a Week, just to give this message to the world that environment drives are to be undertaken throughout the year and not limited to just one or two days.

Hindustan Zinc has been one of the largest contributors in terms of protecting and conserving the environment. Company’s plants have been set-up on most environment friendly technologies that allows the plants to operate on `zero discharge’ and these units are now heading towards `zero waste’. The companies has persistent focus on minimal impact on environment, re-cycle & re-use practices, and is conserving bio-diversity in and around its operating units.

Head Corporate Communication, Pavan Kaushik informed that “the employees play an important role in maintaining highest standards of corporate governance. Several energy conservation projects, identified by our own employees, are undertaken resulting in substantial energy conservation.”

The company has been a key initiator in adopting clean green technology. Very few people know that Hindustan Zinc produces about 25 MW of power just through the waste heat recovery process. As a part of green energy initiatives the company is also one of the largest producers of wind power - 275 MW in India, which is registered under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is entitled for carbon credits. Hindustan Zinc practice the `4-R Policy’ – Reduce, Recycle, Reuse and Reclaim. The company has a dedicated effluent treatment plant at all smelters. The Reverse Osmosis Plant installed at the units result in a constant decrease in consumption of fresh water. In further promotion of conservation of environment, Company's laboratory located at Udaipur has been able to develop use of slag and fly ash in cement manufacturing. This has resulted in efficient use of waste that is generated from production of zinc and captive power generation respectively.

Also present on the occasion were Mr. Hari Ram Meena, SDM Gulabpura, Mr. Avinash Kuldeep, Mining Engineer Bhilwara, Mr. H.K.Mehta, Sr. Vice President (HR) HZL Mr.L.S Shekhawat – Location Head RAM-HZL, Mr. Bhag Chand, President Union President – RAM and Mr. Pavan Kaushik, Head – Corporate Communication, HZL.

TAGS: Hindustan Zinc, Vedanta, World Environment Day, Environment Protection

Akhilesh Joshi, CEO-HZL Felicitated by Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee

Mr. Akhilesh Joshi, Chief Executive officer of Hindustan Zinc was felicitated by Shri Pranab Mukerjee, Hon’ble Union Finance Minister on 19th May 2012, in a ceremony held at Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur to commemorate the golden jubilee lecture and felicitation function of the University. In a span of more than 35 years of service in the industry; his role, in exploration, development of mines and overall excellence, has been significant in making Hindustan Zinc as the world's largest integrated producer of zinc, of which whole of India is proud of.

Mr. Akhilesh Joshi is a Mining Engineer from MBM Engineering College, Jodhpur and proud winner of NATIONAL MINERAL AWARD.

Mr. Pranab Mukherjee also inaugurated the Golden Jubilee Gate of the Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur constructed by Vedanta - Hindustan Zinc for the University.

Also present were, Shri C. P. Joshi, Hon’ble Union Cabinet Minister, Road Tansport and Highways, Dr. Girija Vyas, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Chittorgarh, Dr. I. V. Trivedi, Hon’ble Chancellor, MLSU, Shri M. S. Malviya, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister, Tribal and Rural development, and Shri M. L. Grashia Rajasthan’s Sports Minister. From Hindustan Zinc Mr. H.K Mehta- Sr. VP-HR and Mr. Ahmar Sultan- Head CSR were present.

visit : INDIA CSR – CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY